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Your First Online Texas Hold'em Game

If you've never played online Texas Holdem before, the idea may be a little intimidating. However, if you've seen the many people having fun playing poker online and heard some of the success stories, the temptation to jump in and try it out may be too great to resist. For many people, there really is no reason to resist it. When played responsibly, online Texas hold'em can be a fun diversion and if you become skilled enough, can even be profitable. If you're considering playing Texas hold'em online, here are a few things you should know.

Reputable Sites Have Nothing to Gain by Cheating You

When you start playing poker online, you may hear lots of complaints about certain bad beats that only happen on particular sites, or that happen with great frequency online when they almost never happen in a live game. Some (usually losing) players would have you believe that the sites manipulate the cards so that players will lose with almost unbeatable hands, or that the cards are stacked so that new players win more often than older ones so they will develop loyalty to the site.

This idea harkens back to the early days of poker, when cheating was the name of the game, and card sharks set up "cold decks" designed to deal an unwitting mark the second best hand during a critical pot. Poker has entered a new era where cheating is no longer the most profitable way to play. The online casino has nothing to gain by cheating you. They take a percentage (the "rake") out of each pot, so they make money on each hand no matter who wins. The business they would lose from cheating allegations far outweighs the amount they would gain by stacking the deck in favor of new players. The reality is that bad beats happen more online because more hands are dealt online and because there are more amateurs getting money in with bad hands who are in a position to put a bad beat on an opponent.

You Can Play Texas Hold'em Online for Free

All online poker sites have play money areas where you can practice without risking any actual, real money. The quality of play is not nearly as strong as in games with even limits of a few cents, but you can get a feel for the flow of play to build your confidence before jumping into a real money game. You can also play no download online poker, if you don’t want to install the poker software on your computer.

Online Texas Hold'em is Shame Free

Some players are reluctant to start playing poker because they are afraid their inexperience will slow the game down, angering more experienced players, or that they will make an obvious, embarrassing error and be mocked by opponents. Since you can play online in the privacy of your own home, there is no reason to worry about embarrassment. If you're worried about being berated by opponents, you can always turn off your chat function.